Rookie Kahne captures pole for Pocono 500

LONG POND, Pa. - There were no crashes or bad luck for Kasey Kahne at Pocono Raceway.

Kahne put aside the disappointment of a wreck at Dover that cost him his first career victory and rebounded Friday to set a track record and claim the pole for the Pocono 500

Kahne, driving a Dodge for Evernham Motorsports, turned a lap of 172.553 mph for his fourth pole of the season, adding to top qualifying efforts at Las Vegas, Darlington and California. He becomes the first rookie to win the pole at Pocono. Ward Burton in 1994 and Jimmie Johnson in 2002 started second in their rookie seasons.

"The car was perfect. I couldn't believe it," Kahne said. "We were a little bit off in practice, but the car was better, I drove a little better. It's a difficult track. It takes some time learn."

Kahne proved to be a quick learner. He took test laps at the track last week under the watchful eye of Bill Elliott, whom he replaced on owner Ray Evernham's team after last year.

Kahne got wide on Turn 1 and crashed. Nothing major, but it taught him a few lessons about navigating the 212-mile triangular track.

His qualifying time broke Tony Stewart's record of 172.391 set in 2000, and he started to make up for a missed opportunity at Dover.

Kahne narrowly missed a 19-car pileup late in Sunday's race and was well on his way to the first victory of his Nextel Cup career at Dover International Speedway. Then, with oil on the racetrack, he wrecked with 18 laps remaining.